Addressing Dementia in Indian Country: Models of Care | HHS 2022 IHS ALZ 0001

Opportunity Information: Apply for HHS 2022 IHS ALZ 0001

Addressing Dementia in Indian Country: Models of Care is a discretionary Indian Health Service (IHS) cooperative agreement grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services designed to help Tribal and Urban Indian communities build practical, community-ready dementia care systems that can last beyond the grant period. The central aim is to develop and put in place comprehensive, sustainable models of dementia care and related services that reflect local community needs and realities, with a clear focus on supporting both people living with dementia and the family members or others who care for them. The opportunity recognizes that dementia care is not just a clinical issue; it also requires coordinated social supports, culturally grounded planning, and dependable funding strategies to keep services going.

Funded projects are expected to plan and implement a full approach to dementia care that covers several connected components across the care journey. One major area is awareness and early recognition. While the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has noted that evidence is insufficient to recommend routine population screening for cognitive impairment in older adults, the program still emphasizes practical case-finding approaches and community education so that dementia is recognized earlier and people are referred for evaluation instead of being overlooked or mischaracterized. Another required element is accurate and timely diagnosis. The program stresses that individuals and families should be able to trust the evaluation process and receive a diagnosis without unnecessary delays. It also acknowledges that primary care can handle most dementia diagnoses, but sites should build referral and consultation pathways, including telehealth options, for more complex situations or when specialty support is needed.

A third core expectation is interdisciplinary assessment, reflecting the reality that dementia affects health, safety, independence, and family systems over time. Projects should assess not only medical needs, but also functional status, service gaps, housing stability, and safety risks, while also exploring the cultural, religious, and personal values that shape care goals and preferences. This includes understanding the caregiving network: who is providing care, what they can realistically do, where they need support, and how ready they are for the demands that can come with dementia progression. From that assessment, awardees are expected to build strong management and referral processes that coordinate clinical care with social services, helping families navigate multiple systems and reducing the burden of figuring everything out on their own. The model is meant to be practical and coordinated, not fragmented.

Caregiver support is treated as essential rather than optional. Projects should help caregivers access and coordinate services such as respite, learn what to expect as dementia progresses, and develop skills for responding to challenging behaviors and day-to-day changes, while also supporting caregiver self-care. The opportunity points to established interventions that have already been adapted for Tribal settings, such as REACH for caregiver support and Savvy Caregiver for training and education, signaling that applicants can build on proven approaches while tailoring them to local culture and resources.

Beyond direct service delivery, awardees are also expected to work with IHS to develop and share best practices and promising practices. This includes creating tools, resources, reports, and presentations that other Federal, Tribal, and Urban Indian health programs can use when planning and implementing their own dementia efforts. In other words, the grant is meant to produce practical products and lessons learned that can be spread and reused, not just a stand-alone project serving a single site.

A major emphasis throughout the opportunity is sustainability, particularly through identifying and implementing reimbursement and funding streams that can keep services running. The announcement highlights potential sources such as Medicare payment through the Physician Fee Schedule (including Cognitive Assessment and Planning codes and chronic/complex care management codes), Medicaid and other state programs, Purchased and Referred Care resources, and IHS/third-party revenue. Grantees are expected to actively pursue these kinds of payment pathways as part of implementation, and the IHS Alzheimer’s Grant Program offers technical assistance to help awardees develop a realistic sustainability plan tied to the services they choose to provide.

Key administrative details include that this opportunity was issued by the Indian Health Service under Funding Opportunity Number HHS-2022-IHS-ALZ-0001 and CFDA 93.933. It is structured as a cooperative agreement, meaning recipients should expect substantial involvement from the agency (often through guidance, collaboration, and technical assistance) compared with a standard grant. Eligibility includes federally recognized Tribal governments, Tribal organizations, and other applicants as clarified in the full eligibility guidance. The posted award ceiling was $200,000, with an expectation of five awards, and the original application closing date was July 18, 2022 (with a creation date of April 18, 2022).

• The Department of Health and Human Services, Indian Health Service in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Addressing Dementia in Indian Country: Models of Care" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.933.
• This funding opportunity was created on Apr 18, 2022.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 18, 2022. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $200,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for HHS 2022 IHS ALZ 0001

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